INTERNATIONAL ANDSPECIALIZED TRANSPORT
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JANUARY 2015
35
CRANE CONFIDENCESURVEY
crane sectors are the highest compared to
other areas of the world. Average rental
rates for a 100 tonne capacity mobile
crane, for example, are around $920 per
day in the Middle East, while in North
America, rates can reach $2,730 per day.
Similar differences have beennoted for 150
tonne capacity crawler cranes, with weekly
charges ranging from $3,550 in theMiddle
East to$7,495 inNorthAmerica.
For tower cranes, rental rates in Europe
are the lowest, with rates averaging at $860
per week for a 150 tonne-metre tower
crane. In the Middle East, this rises to an
In Indonesia, however, respondents
remain positive, stating that the market
is improving and, although it is currently
on hold after the presidential election, the
expectation is for improvement next year.
The market in Central and South America
is also growing. Some areas, for example,
Brazil, remainunstable.
Future growth
Despite higher utilisation rates the
depressed economy and static rental
rates will continue to negatively limit
new growth, expansion and upgrades
throughout the industry in 2015. Only
39.1 % of respondents, for example,
are looking to increase their capital
expenditure on fleets in 2015 compared to
2014, while around 15.6 % of respondents
are looking to decrease expenditure. The
number of employees is, however, expected
to increase, with 61.9 % of respondents
expanding their workforce, while only
6.3%are expecting to reducenumbers.
“Despite a positive outlook, regulation
and economic uncertainty will continue
to limit investment in additional equipment
throughout the industry,” one respondent
told
IC
. “These factorswill continue tohelp
rental companies show increased growth
on the bottom line revenue and improved
utilisation for their existing fleets.”
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average price of around $4,620 per week.
Europe also has the lowest rental rates for
300 tonne-metre rated tower cranes, with
figures around $1,200 per week, compared
with prices inAsia, for example, which can
top$14,000perweek.
In other areas of Europe, Turkey and
CIS, the picture isn’t as strong. Ireland,
for example, is experiencing an unstable
market, according to a respondent. “I think
that one of the biggest problems facing the
crane industry is going to be getting people
to do the job,” a respondent from Ireland
said. “The hours and the low pay rates is
not very inviting for new people to start in
this industry.”
Italy is also facing problems, as another
respondent explained, “The crane rental
market is flat as projects in Italy during
the last five years have been dramatically
decreased. We hope that in 2015 the
situationwill change.”
In theNetherlands, construction activity
is low and there is high pressure on rental
rates. In France the picture is similar, and
construction activity is very low. Problems
in the UK are focusing around supply and
demand, as one respondent told
IC
, “There
has been noticeable increase in the lead-in
times required to procure cranes. The UK
has a shortageof tower cranedrivers,which
ismaking the situationworse.”
AVERAGERENTALRATES INUSDOLLARS
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
50 tonne
capacity
wheeledmobile
crane
100 tonne
capacity
wheeledmobile
crane
150 tonne
capacity
wheeledmobile
crane
70 tonne
capacity
wheeled
crawler crane
150 tonne
capacity crawler
crane
100 tonne-
metre tower
crane
300 tonne-
metre tower
crane
Percentageof respondents
AsiaPacific
Europe/Turkey/CIS
MiddleEast
NorthAmerica
SouthAsia
Central/SouthAmerica
